"The river current took everything. My bundle of money floated away in the water and I'm looking for it. I'm groping through the broken homestead and house in case anything can be found." So said Ibrahim Mia, a farmer hit by river erosion and flooding in Bagerhat area of Lakshmitari union in Gangachara upazila, Rangpur, on Sunday morning. In this year's sudden flood, the homes of many others in the village, like Ibrahim's, were swallowed by the river, and crops were destroyed as well.

Upazila agriculture officer Shariful Islam told Prothom Alo that the extent of crop damage had not yet been assessed. But farmers would have to replant the ruined potatoes, sweet pumpkins, groundnuts and other rabi crops, he said.

A visit found that the water has receded from Bagerhat, Paschim Ichhli, Binbina, Matukpur and Mahipur, areas on the bank of the Teesta in Gangachara. But the suffering has not eased; it has grown. There is no way to repair the wrecked houses, because they have collapsed entirely. Most of those whose homes were destroyed have taken shelter beside the embankment.

The house of Noushad Mia of Bagerhat village was broken and scattered by the current. After the water receded he was trying to dry important papers and land deeds from the ruined house in the sun. "There hasn't been a flood like this here for many years. My life was going well. But this time my luck broke. Everything is gone. I haven't had any government help yet," Noushad said.

Roads linking Paschim Ichhli with Bagerhat and some other areas were broken by the force of the current, leaving no way even to walk. People in these areas are moving their wrecked houses and belongings elsewhere by boat.

Abdul Matin of Paschim Ichhli village had borrowed Tk 60,000 to grow sweet pumpkins and early potatoes this year. The flood current destroyed everything in a single night. Weeping, he said: "The crop is ruined. But how will I repay the loan?"

The flash flood struck villages on the bank of the Teesta in Gangachara after a sudden hill torrent came down from upstream. About 10,000 people in seven unions of the upazila were marooned, and homes and crops were damaged by the force of the current.

Upazila project implementation officer Munimul Haque said 20 tonnes of rice had already been distributed among affected families. A list of those whose houses were destroyed is being prepared, and a solution is expected very soon, he said.

Source: Prothom Alo. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.